Bottle capper



Oct. 18, 1932.

J. J. BALAU N BOTTLE CAPPER Filed Oct. 9,1950

Jam J Baldy/2 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 "UNITEDLFSTATES I QTOHN J. BALAUN,or CANTON, 0310 t 1 BOTTLE CAPIER I p Q application'nledflctober 9.1930.Serial No. 487,482.

- The invention relates'to devices for placing crimped metal caps uponbottles. The object of the improvement is to provide a bottle capperarranged to be instantly 5 adjusted to accommodate bottles of varyingheights and so constructed that when adjusted to any particular sizedbottle, any desired number of bottles-ofthat size maybe capped withoutfurtheradjustment of the device. justing the pressure to be applied tothe bottle cap in operating'the' device; W A still further bject is toprovide means for holdingthe operating handle in raised position topermitreadyadjustmentof ;the plunger to accommodate bottles of variousheights. i v f The above and other objects may beattained byconstructing the device in the manner illustrated iirthe accompanyingdrawing,

inwhich. T.

.. 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation partly insection showing the operatinghandle in raised position; y 1 Fig. 2 a similar viewlshowingthehandlepartly lowered with the plunger just contactingwith the cap of a bottle;Fig. 3, a similar view showingthe handle in lowered position; and f Fig.1, a fragmentary: elevation of the I spring catch for holding thehandlein raised "position. x i i Similar numerals refer to similar-partsthroughout the drawing. 1 :5 Theimproved bottlezcapper may include {abase or table 10 havingan upright 11 preferably formed integrallytherewith as by casting or the like. I Feet 12 may be downturned fromthe base for contact with a table, bench or the like upon which thedevice may be supported and if desired,- the base mayzbe provided withapertures 13through which screws or other fastening devices may belocated for permanently securing the same to the benchor othersupport.

A cushion 14', which may be formed of .-leather or othersuitablemateriahlmay be fixed upon the base 10 to, receive the bottle 80 to becapped and is preferably provided with Another object is to'providemeans foradof the links 27 for engagement with the a rim flange 15 toassist in properly centering the bottle.

' The upper endof'the uprightll is curved as at 16 and terminates in avertical bearing portion 17 loca-ted above the center-f the cushion 14.

A plunger 18 is slidably mounted through the bearing 17 and providedatits lowerend with the inverted cup 19 for crimping the usual cap 20upon the neck of the bottle 21,-a o cushion 22 of rubber .or the likebeing carried within the cup 19 for contact with the top of the cap."

y The operating handle or lever 23 is pivoted upon a lug 24 formed atthe lower end of on the bearing portion 17, asfby the pin 25, and

has a-handle grip 26,, of any-usual construction upon its free end.-

Means for operatively connecting the handle 23 to the clamping head 30preferably includes a pair of links'27 whichare pivoted at their lowerends, as at 28 to the handle 23 adjacent to the lower end thereof, theupper ends of said links being pivotally connected as at 29.to theclamping head 30 which is prov ded with an opening 31 slightly larger indiameter-than the plunger 18.

A collar 32 may be fixed upon the upper portion of the plunger '18 as bya screw 33 for limiting the downward movement of the ,80 plungerrelative to the clamping head and washers 34 of leather or the like arepreferably located beneath said collar for contact with. theclamping'head, forming a cushion to absorb shock. A lug 35 is formed atone side of the hearing member 17 and has slidably mounted therethroughan adjusting screw 36 provided with a coil spring 37 located between thehead 38 of the screw and the lug 35. r I

A spring catch 39'is connected to one of the links 27 as by a screw 40and adapted to be 1 engaged by the handle23, when in the raisedposition, to hold the handle in this position as shown in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of limiting the upward movement of the handle 23, a.stop pin 41 may bev provided upon the inner side of one handle. a

It will be seen that when the handle is raised sufliciently to raise theclamping head out of contact with the bolt 36, the free end of theclamping head will tilt downward by its own weight, as shown in Fig. 1,the plunger 18 being wedge clamped in the aperture 31 as illustrated insaid figure.

With the parts in-this position the plunge may be raised ,to adjusttheposition of the same for capping a bottle of any desired height, andwill easily slide upward through the head 30 but the plunger cannotbe-pushed downward through the head in this position.

After the plunger has been properly positioned, the handle is moveddownward, sliding the plunger downward throughthe bearing 17 andengaging the cap 20 which has been placed upon the neck of the bottle,by

the cup 19.

As the cushion 22 of the cup contacts with the cap of the bottle, thefree end of the clamping head 30 willcontact with the upper end oftheadjusting screw 36 and as the handle 23 continues to move downward, the

links 27 will instantly pull the head into sub- As the handle moves downto its lower pOSltlOIl asshown in Fig. 3, the head will carry theplunger downward, compressing the cushion 22 in the cup 19 and tightlyclamping the cap 20 upon the neck of the bottle.

It will be seen that in this position the spring 37 upon the bolt 38will be compressed '45 by the downward movement of the head, holding thehead in clamping position upon 7 the plunger.

The tension upon the spring 37 may be adjusted by adjusting the bolt 38by means of the nut 3864 at the lower end thereof, thus providing forthe amount of pressure to be applied tothe cap in clamping the same;

After the plunger has been set for a bottle of any desired height, anynumber of bottles of the same height may be successively capped withoutchanging the adjustment on the plunger as it will be seen that in the upward movement of the handle, after each cap has been properly-crimpedupon the bottle, the head will first pass over the" position shown inand again clamp the plunger in the manner-shown in Fig. 1 before theplunger is raised out'oi contact with the bot tle cap, thus permittingfurther upward movement of the handle to move the plunger for instantlyreclamping theplunger in the head. i v '2. A bottle capper includinga'bearing porwith it back to the original starting position.

Adjustment of the plunger may be easily madefor any desired height ofbottle capable of being capped upon a device of the size provided bysimply slidably moving the plunger relative to the clamping head andthen raising the plunger to starting position by means of the handle 23and it will also be seen that the pressure applied to cap the bottlesmay be controlled by adjusting the nut- 38a uponthe screw 38.

I claim:

1. A bottle capper including a bearing portion, a. plunger slidablymounted through said bearing portion, a clamping head through which theplunger is located, means for raising and lowering the clamping head,and means for releasing the plunger from the clamping head at apredetermined point, and

tion, a plunger slidably mounted through said bearing portion,a'clamping head through which the plunger is located, means'for raisingand lowering the clamping head, and a spring pressed member forreleasing the plunger from the clampingv head at a predetermined pointand for instantly reclamping the plunger in the head. J z; '3. A bottlecapper including a bearing portion, a plunger slidably mounted throughthe bearing portion, a clamping head provided 'With an opening slightlylarger than the plunger, through which the plunger is lo., cated, meansfor normally tilting the clamping head to clamp the plunger therein, andlever means operatively connected with the clamping head for raising andlowering the plunger. w i

4. A bottle capper including a bearing portion, a plunger slidablymounted through the bearing portion, a clamping head provided with anopening slightly larger than the plunger, through which the plunger islo-. cated, means for normally tilting the clamping head to clamp theplunger therein, and means for tilting the head in the oppositedirection at a predetermined point to instantaneously release theplunger and reclamp I it in the head.

5. A bottle capper including a bearing portion, a plunger slidablymounted through the bearing portion, a clamping head provided with anopening slightly larger than the plunger, through which the plunger islocated, means for normally tilting the clamping head to clamp theplunger therein, and a spring pressed member for tilting the head in theopposite direction at a predetermined point to instantaneously releasethe plunger and reclamp it in the head.

' 6. A bottle capper including a bearing porti0n, a plunger slidablymounted through said bearing portion, a clamping head through" which theplunger is located, the plunger being free to move relative to theclamping head in one position of the head, lever means i operativelyconnected with the clamping head ,for raising and lowering the plunger,and

means for moving the clamping head from clamping to releasing positionwhen the plunger is lowered to a predetermined position.

7 A bottle capper including a base having an upright, a bearing portionin the upright, a plunger slidably located through the bearing portion,a clamping head having an aperture formed therein. slightly larger thanthe plunger through which the plunger is located, a lever pivotallyconnected at one end to the upright, a link pivotally connected betweenthe lever and one end of the clamping head, and spring pressed means onthe upright for contacting with the other end of the clamping head fortilting the head when the plunger is lowered beyond a predeterminedposition.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN J. BALAUN.

